The Answer to a Riddle about Doctrine

Last post I posed the following riddle.

One person teaches something to another.  I'll call them Jim and John.  Jim teaches John two things, call them doctrine A and doctrine B.  Both are true.  John respects and trusts Jim and wants to hold fast to both doctrines.  But it is impossible.

The two doctrines are compatible.  They do not contradict each other.  Both are true or are presumed to be true.  But John cannot hold fast to both of them at the same time even if he wants to.  

Why?

I describe the riddle in more detail in the last post, if you want to read it.

The answer is, doctrine A specifically forbids anyone from holding fast to doctrine B.  John can agree with doctrine B because he sees in the Bible that it is true.  But he cannot commit to holding fast to it in the light of new Bible research.  John must keep an open mind regarding changes to doctrine B, always, in the light of new Bible research.  He must always be willing to change or give up belief in doctrine B if the Bible shows him he should.  Maybe he will never have to, but he must always be willing to.  He cannot close his mind to change according to the Bible.

This is what doctrine A requires.

So if John commits to holding fast to doctrine A, he must keep an open mind and a willingness to change his belief in doctrine B, for this is what doctrine A requires.  But if he commits to holding fast to doctrine B, then he has abandoned doctrine A.  That is why he cannot hold fast to both at the same time.  Doctrine A requires that he hold fast to the Bible when it comes to detailed doctrines, not doctrine B.

If doctrine B is absolutely in all points correct and true, John will never have to change anything.  But John must keep an open mind if he is to hold fast to doctrine A.  He must always be willing to learn new knowledge from the Bible, even if it requires changing his belief in doctrine B.

Truth doesn't change because truth is perfect.  But our knowledge of truth can change because our knowledge is imperfect.  "For we know in part and we prophesy in part" (1 Corinthians 13:9).  As our knowledge changes and becomes more accurate, we understand the truth more perfectly.

In the Church of God and its modern history, doctrine A is Mr. Armstrong's way of life, a way of life that he practiced as a lay member of the Church before he was an apostle or even ordained as a minister.  In fact, Mr. Armstrong practiced that way of life before he was baptized.  Loma Armstrong also practiced that way of life even before her husband did.  And thousands of radio listeners later practiced that way of life when they heard Mr. Armstrong on the radio say, don't believe me, believe God, and those radio listeners helped Mr. Armstrong build the Philadelphia era of the Church.

That way of life is the way of believing the Bible more than any man, any tradition, any church or church leader.  It is the way of being willing to learn new knowledge from the Bible and to be corrected by the Bible, even when that requires changing prior beliefs that are based on church authority or tradition.

In modern circumstances, it is a way of life that says, don't believe Herbert W. Armstrong, don't believe Mystery of the Ages, believe God, believe your Bible.

Of course, most of Mr. Armstrong's teachings in Mystery of the Ages are true because he learned those truths from the Bible.  One who practices the same way of life as Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong may not have to change any doctrines, or very few.

Maybe Christ wants to teach the Church of God new knowledge at this time, or maybe He does not.  That is up to Him.  But we must not close the door to Him.  We must not lock Him out.  

Christ is the Word of God in person.  The Bible is the Word of God in print.  The same Word.  Thus said Mr. Armstrong.  If you want to believe what Mr. Armstrong said, try believing that.  It's true.  Both Christ and the Bible are the Word of God, a perfect reflection of the Father and His thinking and His holy righteous character.  

When we commit to not letting the Bible teach us anything new or correct anything Mr. Armstrong taught, we are locking Christ out.  We are saying to Christ, in effect, "I don't care if You want to teach us anything new, we won't listen.  Keep Your new knowledge to Yourself.  We will not be corrected by You.  We will stick to what Mr. Armstrong taught, right or wrong.  Mr. Armstrong comes first, You come second.  When it comes to doctrine, stay outside.  Mr. Armstrong taught us everything we need to know".

Remember, I repeat, the Bible is the Word of God in print, Christ is the Word of God in person, the same word.  When we put the Bible in second place to Mystery of the Ages or any of Mr. Armstrong's other writings or teachings, we are putting Christ in second place to Mr. Armstrong.  That is idolatry.

People who do this will deny that they are making an idol out of Mr. Armstrong.  But they do, whether they realize it or not.

Do you think an idol-worshiper always knows he is worshiping an idol?  Not at all.

Tell a Catholic he is worshipping an idol when he bows down to an image of Christ.  "Oh, no," he will say.  "I don't worship the image, I am only using it to help me picture Christ when I pray.  I am using it to help me worship Christ."  But it is idol worship nevertheless.  He is breaking both the first and second commandments.  He breaks the second commandment by using an image in worship contrary to God's command.  And he breaks the first commandment by putting his desire to use an image first over obeying the one true God.  The image becomes more important to him than God, whether he admits it to himself or not.

Likewise, making a commitment to not change anything Mr. Armstrong taught, not having an open mind to learn new knowledge from the Word of God (Christ and the Bible) is putting doctrinal tradition ahead of God.

That is idol worship because faith is an act of worship.  

If we commit ourselves to never changing what Mr. Armstrong taught, we are exercising faith in Mr. Armstrong.  We are exercising faith to believe a man, even though we should know that all men are capable of sin and all men are capable of mistakes.

Does the Bible say to have faith in man?

The whole emphasis of the Bible is to trust and put our faith in God, NOT man.

In fairness, there is a scripture that says to believe God and His prophets.  "Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper" (2 Chronicles 20:20).

But I believe this refers primarily to the prophets who wrote the Bible and to the first century apostles, both of whom wrote the Bible.  And God provided authenticity of the apostles' messages by public miracles, what the Bible calls the signs of an apostle (2 Corinthians 12:12).

While I think Mr. Armstrong was an apostle, he did not perform public miracles that anyone could witness and check into like the first century apostles.  Why?  Because today, because of the printing press, we have the Bible readily available, and because of fulfilled prophecy, we have the proof that the Bible was inspired by God and is God speaking.

So while servants of God can help us understand, as in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8:6-8) and in the case of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:30-31), the only infallible communication from God today is through the Bible.

I asked this before, but if Christ wants to teach someone who says, I will not move on doctrine, how will He do it?  That person's closed mind excludes Christ.  He cannot learn what Christ has to teach him because he refuses to learn.  He locks Christ out.

But to Laodicea, Christ says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20).


What Is Philadelphia to Hold Fast To?

To Philadelphia, Christ says, hold fast to what you have (Revelation 3:11).  What is Christ talking about?  What is it that we have that He wants us to hold fast to?

One possibility was suggested by a speaker.  He said that the Holy Spirit is what we are to hold fast to.

Certainly we should hold fast to the Holy Spirit and our conversion.  We should not go back to the world.

But that is true for every era of the Church.  I think what Christ had in mind was something particular for the Philadelphia era.  What Philadelphians have is the example and teachings of Mr. Armstrong.  This doesn't apply to every era.

But which teaching?  The way of life Mr. Armstrong practiced and taught by his example as well as his words, or a detailed list of doctrines that he taught as a result of that way of life he and Mrs. Armstrong practiced even from before conversion?

That way of life says, learn new things and be corrected in doctrine from the Bible, and if necessary change tradition and the teachings of the Church.

So which is it?  What did Christ have in mind when He said, hold fast to what you have?  What does the "what you have" refer to, a way of life or a list of doctrines?

Is there a way to know?

Here is the whole message to Philadelphia.  "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie - indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.  Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" ' " (Revelation 3:7-13).  

The question is, what is the "what you have", and to answer the "what" we will first find the "who" and the "when".

Who is the message for?  It is for Philadelphians, but the one person we can be sure has been a Philadelphian is Mr. Armstrong himself.  It is obvious that he was the leader of the Philadelphian era because he had the open door.

Also, the messages to the seven churches are addressed to and through the leaders of those churches, called "angels" (which means messenger as I understand it):  "To the angel of the church of Ephesus..." (Revelation 2:1), "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna..." (Revelation 2:8), "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos..." (Revelation 2:12), "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira..." (Revelation 2:18), "And to the angel of the church in Sardis..." (Revelation 3:1), "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia..." (Revelation 3:7), "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans..." (Revelation 3:14).  

So the message to Philadelphia is primarily to Mr. Armstrong himself, and secondarily to those of a Philadelphia spirit and attitude both in his day and today.  It is to Mr. Armstrong that Christ says, I have set before you an open door.

Now the "when".  When does Christ say this to Mr. Armstrong?

1934.

It must have been in 1934, because Christ says, see, I have set before you an open door.  1934 was when Christ set an open door before Mr. Armstrong.

Of course, the message and the encouragement and admonitions in the message continued all during Mr. Armstrong's life and even after his death, even to today and the future for those who are Philadelphians in God's sight.

But it started in 1934.

So the "who" is Mr. Armstrong, and the "when" is 1934.

So now let's answer the "what".  What are we to hold fast to?  What do we have that we are to hold fast to?

Whatever it is, it must be something Mr. Armstrong had in 1934.  Christ said to Mr. Armstrong in 1934, hold fast to what you have.

Remember, the choices are, a way of life or a list of doctrines.

The answer is obvious.  Mr. Armstrong did not have a complete list of all the doctrines he was to teach later.  Much of the truth in Mystery of the Ages was not known by Mr. Armstrong in 1934.  But he had the open door and the command to hold fast to what he had.

So what did he have at that time?

He had A WAY OF LIFE.

He did hold fast to that way of life, that way of believing the Bible more than man or religious tradition.  And it was that way of life that produced a list of doctrines and all the truth in Mystery of the Ages over time.

Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong practiced that way of life from before conversion.  Christ told Mr. Armstrong in 1934 to hold fast to that way, and he told him through the message to Philadelphia in Revelation.

And Mr. Armstrong did hold fast, and we need to do the same if we are to be Philadelphians.  We must hold fast to that way of life of putting the Bible first and being willing to learn what the Word of God wants to teach us, even when it means changing our traditions.

Christ had harsh words for the Pharisees who put their traditions above God and His word (Matthew 15:1-9, Mark 7:5-13).


Was Mr. Armstrong the Elijah to Restore All Things?

There is one possible justification for holding fast to a list of Mr. Armstrong's doctrines.  That is the idea that Mr. Armstrong was the Elijah to come and restore all things.  The logic here is that, since he restored all things before he died, his teachings must all be correct.

I agree that Mr. Armstrong was no doubt the Elijah to come and restore all things.

But there are two ways he could do it.  Which way God used him to do it is important.

He could do it by restoring every truth and doctrine personally while he was alive.  Or he could do it by doing much of it himself but also delegating the way of life of restoring doctrine to others who would come after him.  In other words, Mr. Armstrong set something in motion that continues, or should continue, today.

He taught us that way of life by his example, as illustrated in his life, his work, and in his autobiography.  He taught us to let the Bible interpret the Bible and let clear passages interpret unclear ones.  He taught us by his radio message, don't believe me, don't believe any man, believe your Bible, believe God.  He taught us by showing us how to prove that the Bible is the word of God by fulfilled prophecy.

He taught us the meaning of faith, that faith is believing what God says.

So which is it?  Did Mr. Armstrong fulfill his Elijah role by personally restoring all doctrine himself, or did he do it by starting a process of learning new knowledge from the Bible which continues, or should continue, today?

Just like anything else, just as in understanding what Christ meant for us to hold fast to, we must look to the Bible for the answer.

Is there anything in the Bible that will tell us if Mr. Armstrong's role of restoring lost truth was completed by him personally or should continue today?

Yes.  We can find the answer by studying the life and work of the first Elijah.  He was a type of Mr. Armstrong, right?  God, who knows all things and knew from ancient times what answers we would need today has provided the answer we need.

God gave Elijah a job to do.  That can be likened to the job of restoring lost doctrine that God gave to Mr. Armstrong.  Did Elijah personally complete all aspects of the job God gave him before he was taken out of the way?  Or did he delegate some of it to Elisha who followed him after Elijah was gone?

God gave Elijah several things to do, but one of them was to anoint Jehu king of Israel.  "Then the LORD said to him: 'Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place" (1 Kings 19:15-16).  

Later, Elijah was taken up into the atmosphere and Elisha received his office in his place.  "And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, 'Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?' Elisha said, 'Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.' So he said, 'You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.' Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.  And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!' So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces" (2 Kings 2:9-12).  

Had Elijah personally anointed Jehu king of Israel as God commanded him?  No.  It was Elisha who did that after Elijah was gone.  Elijah must have delegated that part of his commission to Elisha.  He didn't do it himself personally.

Elijah did the job, but he did it by delegation.

"And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, 'Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates, and take him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, "Thus says the LORD: 'I have anointed you king over Israel' ". Then open the door and flee, and do not delay' " (2 Kings 9:1-4).  The young man went as he was told and met Jehu in an inner room.  "Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel" ' " (2 Kings 9:6).  

Actually, the job of anointing Jehu was delegated twice, once from Elijah to Elisha, and again by Elisha to an unnamed son of the prophets.

These passages about Elijah and Elisha were inspired by God.  God did not have to give us all these details, but He knew this could answer our question today.  I don't think you will find any other passage in the Bible about any other prophet where the prophet is given a commission that is fulfilled indirectly after he was gone.  But wait.  This just came to me.  Ezekiel could be another example.  He was commissioned to get a warning to Israel, but he could not deliver it personally. But he wrote the message in a book, and we read his book today and deliver that message.

Mr. Armstrong did not complete his job of restoring doctrine personally.  He started the process, and we are to continue.  Likewise, he did not finish preaching the gospel personally to all Israel, which needs the warning, but we are to continue that today.  He did some of it and the rest passes to us.  He started the process and showed us how to do it.  We must finish what Mr. Armstrong started just as Elisha finished the job that Elijah started and put in motion.

The subject comes up, what about Mr. Armstrong's role in turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers (Malachi 4:5-6)?

Did Mr. Armstrong do that?  Yes.  He set up summer camps and put a focus on the youth.

Do we not do that today?  Of course.  We focus on the youth as Mr. Armstrong taught us to do and as he practiced and set the example.  We continue his work of turning the hearts of the fathers and children to each other.

Some see that.  They see that we should focus on youth and have programs for them to continue to fulfill Mr. Armstrong's role in this.  We continue what Mr. Armstrong started.  Mr. Armstrong is said to have done it because he started it and taught it.  In effect, he delegated it to the Church of God.  He started the ball rolling, so the entire work is attributed to him.

Some see this in regards to the preaching of the gospel and the Ezekiel warning.  It was Mr. Armstrong's role and mission and we must continue it.

So why can't these same people see that we must continue the process of learning new things that Christ wants to teach us and thereby continue Mr. Armstrong's role as the Elijah to come to restore all things?  He did it in person when he was alive, and today he does it through those of us willing to put Christ and the Bible first.

We continue the work Mr. Armstrong started of turning the hearts of the fathers and children to each other with youth camps and other activities.  We continue the work Mr. Armstrong started of preaching the gospel to the world.  So why are we not continuing his work of restoring lost knowledge?

If we say regarding doctrine, Mr. Armstrong did it all so there is nothing for us to do, why don't we say that about the youth programs or preaching the gospel?  There is inconsistency here.  If I want to be harsh, I could call it hypocrisy.  But only God can judge people's hearts and intents and character.  I can only point out the inconsistency and the danger of hypocrisy, as a warning and not an accusation.

Yes, I believe Mr. Armstrong was the Elijah to come to restore all things.  But if we believe the Bible, we should be able to see that we should continue the process of restoring all things as Christ, the Word of God in person, teaches us through the Bible, the word of God in print, new doctrinal knowledge we did not have before.


Is This Post Causing Division?
 
Some will use the ideal of unity and the principle of not causing division to refute this whole post, no doubt.  But it is ironic when some who cry for unity have they themselves separated from a fellowship for reason of conscience.

We should strive for unity with God and the Bible, and to the degree we achieve unity that way, we will begin to have real unity with others in the Church of God.

The world can have unity against God.  The Pharisees had a kind of unity against Christ.  He condemned them for their hypocrisy.  Even Pilate and Herod became friends in the matter of the crucifixion of Christ, but they were enemies before (Luke 23:6-12).

Read Mr. Armstrong's autobiography and see how the Church of God Seventh Day ministers opposed him from the beginning.

Of course Christ wants unity among brethren, but He wants unity with God first.  And He didn't come to bring peace.

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household' " (Matthew 10:34-36).

Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10).  But God corrects, sometimes harshly.

Notice the strong language Christ used against the scribes and Pharisees.

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?" (Matthew 23:13-33).

Notice, Christ asks, what is greater, the gift or the alter that sanctifies the gift?  Likewise, I can ask, what is greater, the list of doctrines Mr. Armstrong found, or the way of life he practiced that produced that list of doctrines?

Paul also corrected strongly.

"I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!" (Galatians 5:12).

And God teaches us to warn those going off track.

"Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter" (Proverbs 24:11).  

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.  Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul" (Ezekiel 3:17-21).

Some people are sitting on the fence, not ready to make a decision to believe the Bible more than tradition.  

But I think they will have to.  I think God will require it.


Why Is This Important?

This matter of being willing to believe the Bible more than our traditions and being willing to change our traditions is vital for preaching the gospel and the Ezekiel warning.

Judge for yourself, does God bless hypocrisy?  If we say to the public, don't believe us, don't believe your church, believe God, believe the Bible - don't we have to do the same thing?  God either gives us an open door or we have no open door.

If we play the hypocrite with the public, asking them to learn new things from the Bible while not being willing to do the same thing ourselves, I do not think God will give us an open door.  No open door, no warning the wicked.  If we don't warm the wicked, their blood will be required at our hand (Ezekiel 3:17-21).  Murder guilt may be upon us for those who die without a warning.  We will be guilty because we could have had an open door to warn them if we practiced what we preach, but because of our hypocrisy - our unwillingness to put God and the Bible first - we failed to get the warning out.  That makes it our fault - our responsibility - and God will hold us responsible.

Also, no open door, no place of safety, for the place of safety is only promised to the same group that has the open door.  If our hypocrisy keeps us from an open door, it will keep us from a place of safety.

Also, if Israel is not warned before the tribulation begins so they have time to repent and escape the punishment, they will not be warned for things they did not know were wrong, like Christmas, Easter, and pagan doctrines they think are Christian.  They won't see God's fairness in this when they are punished, and that will make it harder for them to trust God, to accept responsibility for ignoring the warning, and to repent during the tribulation.  That will make their salvation harder.  Some may lose their salvation permanently because of this.  This does not glorify God's name.

In the model prayer we ask that God's name be hallowed, but do we live it?  Do we glorify God's name and reputation by paying the price to get the warning message out.  That price includes being willing to change doctrine - the same price those who hear our message must pay to be converted and enter the Church.

We open ourselves to spiritual deception by not believing the Bible first.  God can remove us from the Church and bring in new people to replace us if we sin by disbelieving what we see in the Bible.

It is for ourselves, for those who hear our message, and for God's glory that we must do this.  Everything is at stake.

Each of us must make a decision to believe God more than our traditions and to be willing to learn new knowledge from the Bible.  We have to let Christ teach us.

If we say no to Christ, He may say no to us.  If we reject Christ, He will reject us.

Some say that the fear of God is not real fear - it is respect and awe.  But I don't see that in the Bible.  I don't think the translators made a mistake.  They know the words "respect" and "awe".  But they use the word "fear".  In the kingdom, we will have perfect love and there will be no need for fear.  But now, in the flesh, we better fear.  There is a time to be afraid of God, when we are tempted and have to make a decision between right and wrong.

"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" (Luke 12:4-5).

Everyone will have to make a decision about this.  Each person will reap what he sows.

Let's make the right choice.